NFL NOTEBOOKEx-Oilers QB believes Schaub can help team 'turn the corner'

Published 5:30 am, Sunday, March 25, 2007

Joey Porter might want to stay tuned to what happens at the owners' meetings. A disciplinary policy is under review.

Joey Porter might want to stay tuned to what happens at the owners' meetings. A disciplinary policy is under review.

Photo: Jeff Chiu, AP

Moon says Texans, fans deserve a winner

1 / 1

Back to Gallery

NFL fans in Houston have not been able to cheer for a winning team since 1993, Warren Moon's last season with the Oilers.

Moon, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last year, knows what it's like to play quarterback in Houston.

The Oilers lost during his first three seasons (1984-86), and a lot of fans and members of the media wanted to run him out of town.

But management made shrewd personnel decisions to surround Moon with talent on both sides of the ball and, in 1987, the Oilers began a streak of seven consecutive playoff seasons.

"I know we let the fans down in the playoffs, but, looking back, I hope they had fun watching us," Moon said Saturday from Los Angeles. "Houston fans are great. They deserve a winner. They've waited long enough. I hope the Texans turn it around next season."

Moon has followed the Texans and quarterback David Carr since their first season in 2002. Now he is going to keep a close eye on Matt Schaub, Carr's replacement.

"I thought the Texans would have been successful by now, but they made some questionable decisions," he said. "Hopefully, this (Schaub trade) will help them turn the corner.

"When I saw what the Texans gave up for Schaub, at first I was a little shocked, but the more I thought about it, I could see it because the quarterback position is just so vital. Nothing's guaranteed in the draft. Look at what's happened to Carr and Joey Harrington."

Carr and Harrington, the first and third picks in the 2002 draft, are on the street.

Most Popular

"It's hard to find a good one," Moon said. "When a coach and general manager think they've found one they want, they should do whatever it takes to get him. That's what the Texans did."

Schaub signed a six-year contract worth $48 million.

"What you've basically got," Moon said, "is a quarterback paid like a first-round pick, but he's got three years of experience in this league."

Wade resurfaces in D.C.

Todd Wade
, who received a $10 million signing bonus to play right tackle for the Texans before blowing out his knee and getting waived, is Washington's new starting left guard.

Wade, who never has played guard, replaces Derrick Dockery, who signed with Buffalo.

At 6-8 and 317 pounds, Wade would be the tallest guard in the league.

"Moving Todd to guard is not a panic situation," Redskins offensive line coach Joe Bugel said. "He took snaps at both guard positions on the scout team every other day in practice last season.

"At 6-8, he's going to have to work on getting leverage because he's going to be playing guys shorter than him pretty much all the time, guys who weigh 325-plus. We're going to give Todd every opportunity to be the left guard. If Todd feels uncomfortable, he'll go back to tackle, and we'll go to Plan B."

Pastorini on Kubiak

"I believe Gary will turn the Texans around," he said. "He's a classy guy and a very proud man who doesn't like to lose.

"He was an ideal backup quarterback all those years. He was very successful as an assistant coach. But when he played and was an assistant coach, he had a lot of talent around him. Hopefully, the Texans will put a lot of talent around their new quarterback (Matt Schaub).

"I'll tell you one thing about the Texans: When Kubiak gives advice, the players better listen because he's been through the wars as a player and as a coach."

Clearing cap dollars

By releasing quarterback David Carr and running back
Domanick Williams
last week, the Texans saved $7.77 million on this year's cap.

That's $4.75 million for Carr and $3.2 million for Williams. That helped them sign quarterback Matt Schaub to a new contract and match the offer sheet fullback Vonta Leach signed with the Giants.

Luck on Schaub

Former Oilers quarterback
Oliver Luck
, who is the Dynamo's president, remembered his brief starting career in the NFL.

"If somebody had signed me after two Oiler starts, and let me emphasize that I was 1-1, that would have been a big mistake," Luck said, laughing. "I think (Matt) Schaub can be a good player.

"I've always admired big, strong kids like him who are smart — he's a UVA (University of Virginia) grad. But it's something of a risk because he doesn't have much of a track record."

Meeting comes to order

At the NFL meetings in Phoenix this week, a new player conduct code is supposed to be established Tuesday.

"I'm all for it," Texans owner Bob McNair said. "I think players should be held accountable.

"I'm not saying we should do something to them the first time something happens, but if there's a pattern, then, yes, I think they should be punished. They're giving the league a black eye."

Unofficially, the new rule will be called the "Pacman Jones Rule" because he's been involved in 10 incidents. He could be the first player suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell under the new rule.

Among the other players who could be suspended because they have been involved in multiple offenses are Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson and Dolphins outside linebacker Joey Porter.

Vick on Schaub

If new Texans quarterback Matt Schaub plays as well as his coaches expect, and if he avoids injuries, he will return to Atlanta to play against his former team next season.

"Let's just hope he throws five interceptions — no offense, Matt, but you know what I mean," Falcons quarterback Michael Vick said with a laugh last week.

Schaub backed up Vick for three years. When Vick went down in the last game against Philadelphia last season, Schaub completed 15 of 21 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown in the 24-17 defeat. He threw an interception. His rating was 92.4.

"He showed that he's a quality NFL quarterback who has a lot of potential and that he's capable of leading a team," Vick said. "He was always a humble guy.

"He came in and did his job when he was supposed to."

A candid camera

Last week, the Florida Times-Union got a copy of police video from November when offensive tackle
Khalif Barnes
was arrested for driving 100 mph and being intoxicated.

Barnes didn't endear himself to Jacksonville fans or the city when he howled obscenities at the police.

"This is unbelievable, man, unbelievable being a pro athlete in Jacksonville," the Times-Union quoted Barnes as saying in the video. "I can't wait to get out of here. Can't wait.

"Of all the places in the (expletive) world would that I come to this hick town. They (expletive) hate us here. Why you even want to have a pro team here, what's the use? They don't even (expletive) respect you."

When the Times-Union asked the Jaguars for a response, owner Wayne Weaver sent an e-mail that said, "We understood that his conduct was unacceptable, and he apologized for embarrassing himself and his team."

Croyle in Chiefs' QB mix

The Chiefs are close to trading quarterback
Trent Green
to the Dolphins. They re-signed
Damon Huard
a few weeks ago. But coach
Herm Edwards
is going to give
Brodie Croyle
, a third-round pick last year, a chance to win the starting job.

Edwards is going to let Croyle work with the first team during the offseason program to see what he can do. The coaches know what Huard can do.

"He's going to get an opportunity," Edwards said. "Maybe it doesn't work out, but at least you'll know. That's not to say he's going to be the starter. I don't know who that guy's going to be at this point. But it needs to be open for competition, in my opinion, from what happened last year."

Odds and ends

The Packers appear to be waiting for Oakland to get so desperate to dump unhappy receiver Randy Moss that they will accept a second-day draft choice. General manager Ted Thompson emphasized that quarterback Aaron Rodgers has not been part of any discussions with the Raiders. . . . The Bills appear interested in dealing outside linebacker Takeo Spikes. He didn't play well last season when he returned from a torn Achilles' tendon. . . . Last year, Bears coach Lovie Smith tried to sign free-agent safety Adam Archuleta, but the Redskins offered him $35 million over seven years. Now that Smith has Archuleta, whom he coached at St. Louis, it looks as if Mike Brown's days are numbered in Chicago. Because of injuries, Brown has started only 20 games over the last three seasons at strong safety.

John McClain can be heard on 610 AM at 7:30 a.m. Monday, 10 a.m. Tuesday and 4:30 p.m. Friday.